Hi Kostas,

I suggest you send your TLM-50 to Neumann USA for service. I find they are prompt and their service work is perfect. The Neumann USA service tech, Tom Onofrio has years of experince and will return your mic to perfect operating condition.

Call Mary Jo Landoli at 860-434-4557 for an RMA number and shipping address.

Mike Pappas  

Dear Mike,

Thanks for the kind advice. I tried putting the mike into a sealed plastic bag with silicon dessicant [moisture absorbers] overnight, and the problem seems to be solved. I had the same problem/solution with my B&K4135s but was surprised it happens with the TLM50.

Lucky for me as I'm in Australia, and nobody from Neumann has seen this mike "downunder".

Kostas Metaxas
METAXAS AUDIO SYSTEMS
www.metaxas.com
EXERO HDTV
www.exero.com  

Hi Kostas,

I thought you were located in the USA. Sorry!

High humidity can be an issue with any condenser microphone that uses a polarizing voltage. This problem can be made worse if there is a build up of dirt in the capsule.

Mike Pappas  

Dear Mike,

What are your thoughts on the M150's vs the TLM50's? What do you find is the "sound" difference as I need to decide to go one way or the other. How would you compare the M150 to the Sennheiser MKH 800 you also use.

rgds

Kostas  

Hi Kostas,

I haven't compared the TLM-50 to the M-150. The MKH-800 vs. M-150 is a whole different kettle of fish.

The M-150 (along with the TLM-50 and M-50), as you know, has a capsule mounted into a sphere. This unique capsule mounting makes the pattern of the microphone an omni directional at low frequencies and cardioid at high frequencies.

The MKH-800 is a small diaphragm multi-pattern 50 KHz microphone. It is very transparent, very fast sounding and very low noise.

As for comparing them they are very, very different devices. I typically use the M-150 on Decca Tree for orchestral work (or on kick drums when I am doing a close micing session with MKH-800 on overheads). I use the MKH-800 as Left Center Right arrays on sources that are flat across the front (like the Count Basie Orchestra big band) typically in cardioid or on a close micing session for drum overheads.

I have used both of them on close micing our Bösendorfer depending upon what sound I am looking for. Any chance you can get your hands on both of them and take a listen?

Mike Pappas  

The LF problem you have, all my TLM's had, even after that Neumann had changed the capsules two times. Nowadays the problem is solved by using the same titanium capsule as the M150 has on board. I would not be surprised when there is a audible difference between the older nickel and nowadays titanium material. So if you compare the TLM50 with the M150 tube, you have to consider the TLM50 can be found with both nickel and titanium membranes.  

Dear Mr. Metaxas,

as you mention that the TLM50 has a transparent sphere inside, my assumption is that it is probably an early 1990s one. Is that possible? If so, as Erik mentioned: some early TLM50s did have a "rumbling" problem, due to some processes inside the capsule (the most expensive part, sorry...). Took some years to solve that problem.

Since 2000 (if I remember correctly), all TLM50s come with the same titanium capsule as the M150s. No rumbling problems since then :-)

Thinking about buying TLM50 / M150 you should contact Syntec Australia (+mail copy to me at schneidm-at-neumann.com,) . They might not have them in stock for testing, but we should see what can be arranged.

Best regards,
Martin Schneider / Neumann Mic. Development